It all began in June 2009, when the world was devastated by the passing of Michael Jackson. In his will, he named John Branca and John McClain as co-executors of his Estate, tasking them with managing his brand, music, and assets, as well as providing for his family and children.
As part of Michael’s “THIS IS IT” residency planned with AEG at the O2 Arena in London, he and AEG had entered into a merchandise agreement with Bravado. After Michael’s passing, the Estate continued this deal.
The Bravado era: A golden standard
Bravado, a global leader in music merchandising, worked closely with Michael to design an extensive line of tour merchandise, ranging from T-shirts to pins, featuring both classic and new artwork. Michael himself was hands-on, often sending notes to Bravado suggesting color changes or design tweaks. The catalog they created was massive, and some imaginative items—like a snow globe containing the HIStory statue—never made it into production.
At that time, Bravado set a high bar. They partnered with top manufacturers and brands such as Hot Toys, Panini, Danilo, Playmates, Bubblehead, Pyramid, and Funko. Their market research ensured that fans got merchandise they truly wanted. The result? The world once again became flooded with Michael Jackson imagery reminiscent of the HIStory era, all delivered with outstanding quality and customer service.
Tensions begin: The Estate’s difficult relationship with Bravado
However, cracks eventually started to show. According to a source close to Bravado’s production team, working with the Michael Jackson Estate was “incredibly complicated and difficult.” Bravado would invest significant time, resources, and money creating new designs and licensing proposals, only to see roughly 90% of them rejected by the Estate without clear explanations. Was it the colors? The product types? The designs themselves? They were often left guessing.
By 2018, after years of frustration, Bravado decided not to renew their contract. “They were perhaps the most difficult people we’ve ever worked with,” the source said. And Bravado was not alone: former staff from the Cirque du Soleil “MJ ONE” production team and even those involved in the National Portrait Gallery’s “Michael Jackson: On The Wall” exhibition echoed similar sentiments.
Enter ABG: A new hope, limited results
In April 2018, Authentic Brands Group (ABG) stepped in, taking over management of the Michael Jackson brand. Nick Woodhouse, ABG’s president and CMO, praised Michael as an unparalleled entertainer and promised to leverage ABG’s experience to build new global partnerships.
John Branca and John McClain were equally optimistic, stating:
“We are thrilled to be working with ABG on the continued development of the Michael Jackson brand. With a proven track record in transforming icons into global entities, we are confident that ABG will help us take the Michael Jackson brand to the next level.”
While ABG did secure a few retail deals, the merchandise offerings remained surprisingly limited, with little of the broad, innovative product range fans had come to expect.
The rise of “print on demand” – and the fall in quality
Meanwhile, the Estate’s online merchandise strategy took a turn. Different companies assumed responsibility for running official online stores: Sandbag Ltd, One Live Media, and Music Today (a Sony Music division). These companies largely operated on a “print on demand” basis—producing items only after enough pre-orders were received.
This model quickly led to problems. Fans remember well the “Dangerous 25” line and the “Invincible” anniversary calendars: many of these items were either canceled due to low pre-order numbers or simply never shipped, leaving customers waiting for months—if they ever received anything at all. Shipping dates often changed on the websites without notice, and customer communication was virtually nonexistent.
For those who did eventually receive their orders, disappointment was common. The quality often did not justify the price. Some products even arrived without official copyright markings, leading fans to wonder if they were essentially bootlegs—such as items from the infamous “Valentine” collection.
IMG takes over: Persistent issues and sidelined fans
In 2019, the Estate shifted again, appointing IMG Licensing to oversee brand management. This brought new online store operators: Townsend Music Ltd for Europe, while Music Today continued in the U.S.
IMG did manage to secure licensing deals—particularly in Asia—with collections like the GU clothing line and the PureArts collectible statue. Yet, fans in Europe and the U.S. saw few fresh offerings.
Meanwhile, the problems with the online stores worsened. Orders for the HIStory 25 line, for example, were plagued by quality complaints and extreme delays—some fans waited up to 14 months for delivery. Communication remained poor. The designs themselves also deteriorated, often reduced to simple logos printed on generic apparel. The recent “Thriller 40” merchandise is a prime example: many fans felt it was mere “logo-slapping,” with no real celebration of Michael’s iconic imagery.
And even high-end items were not immune to mismanagement. Customers who ordered the over-$1,000 PureArts statues often received no updates at all, unless they proactively reached out—only to be met with curt responses advising them to “check the website for updates.” And this carry on with other Chinese companies such as Queen Studios and Damtoys with their latest over $5K 1/2 Michael Jackson Statue!
A high-end vision that overlooks core fans
According to a source close to the Estate, Karen Langford—who oversees licensing and merchandise—has pushed for a focus on luxury products. This explains collaborations like the Illesteva sunglasses, the Hugo Boss “Thriller” suit, and the PureArts collectibles. But this approach neglects a massive portion of Michael’s global fanbase who cannot afford such high-ticket items.
Throughout his career, Michael made a point to create merchandise for all his fans, offering accessible products alongside occasional premium pieces. Today, many fans feel excluded, disappointed by subpar quality and lackluster designs that do little to honor Michael’s legacy.
The puzzling case of MJ Merchandise Official
Adding further confusion is the MJ Merchandise Official store, which promotes itself as an official, Estate-led venture. Yet despite carrying the official Michael Jackson name, little is publicly known about who exactly owns or operates this online store since 2023. Fans have raised concerns over the extremely basic designs—often criticized for poor graphics and uninspired layouts—that fall far short of what one would expect from Michael’s brand. Compounding the frustration, shipping costs outside the U.S. are notoriously high, making it even harder for international fans to afford these products. There’s also been a noticeable lack of consistency in product drops and communication. This mystery around the ownership and the underwhelming offerings have only fueled skepticism within the fan community, who worry that the very brand meant to preserve Michael Jackson’s legacy is instead harming it through careless presentation and management. Is this venture simply a quick cash-in for certain individuals connected to the Estate? Do these individuals actually pay a licensing fee to the Michael Jackson brand for using his imagery? These are questions that still remain unanswered today.
Poor timing clouds the “Michael” biopic and its merchandising
The Estate’s questionable brand management extends beyond merchandise into its handling of the highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic, Michael. Originally slated for release this year (April then October), the film has now been delayed to 2026—or perhaps even 2027—leaving fans frustrated and the project’s momentum in doubt. Meanwhile, IMG, the Estate’s licensing partner, had already moved forward by signing deals tied to the movie’s original release timeline. In April—the same month the film was first expected to debut—IMG announced collaborations with Seiko for a Michael Jackson-themed watch and with Santos Studios for a dedicated product range. This disjointed rollout highlights yet again the Estate’s poor planning and lack of synchronization, creating confusion in the market and squandering valuable opportunities to build excitement properly. Fans are left wondering why merchandise is being launched years ahead of a film that now remains far on the horizon, reinforcing perceptions of mismanagement and short-term thinking. But it also resulted in a massive loss of revenue for the companies that had paid for the Michael Jackson license, hoping to capitalize on the film’s release by selling large volumes of products.
Is there hope for redemption?
Interestingly, the “Thriller 40” Immersive Experiences showed what’s still possible. The merchandise from those events featured much stronger designs and noticeably better quality—though prices remained steep. Fans enthusiastically welcomed these improvements, which proved that under the right guidance, the Estate can deliver products worthy of Michael Jackson’s brand. Same goes to the Blue Sapphire celebrations and merchandise. Another promising addition comes from MINIX, a Spain-based company known for listening to fans. They’ve launched a range of Michael Jackson figurines that are not only appealing but also priced accessibly, making them a welcome option for many fans.
Whether these improvements will last remains to be seen. Persistent delivery, high-end prices and quality issues on the official stores suggest more fundamental changes are needed. Ultimately, the best way forward for Karen Langford and the Estate may be to overhaul their supplier relationships and finally partner with companies that can uphold the high standards Michael Jackson himself always insisted upon—giving fans around the world affordable products they can cherish and wear proudly.
Sebastian Mille
Co-author of “The Ultimate Collector Book Series”
for MJVibe
SOURCE: Bravado / The Michael Jackson Online Store / IMG / One Live Media / Sandbag / Townsend Music / Music Today / ABG
